Magnetic Tray and Piece Holder

ABSTRACT

A bit holder for securing various tool pieces and fasteners having a portion that is configured to rotate and pivot about the holder and a tray that is slidingly disposed within the holder. The portion allows a user to place various tool pieces and/or fasteners thereon, thus allowing the user to more efficiently change tool bits or retrieve fasteners.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to piece holder, and more specifically a tool piece holder having a positionable magnetic tray.

Most tool piece holders that are produced today are used to retain pieces or various fasteners on a side of the holder or within a cavity formed therein. The holders are designed to allow a user to access a particular piece or fastener. The process of exchanging one tool piece or fastener for another is time consuming, and results in a delay in the completion of the project. The increase in time to exchange pieces is at least partially due to the fact that the user must set one piece down on a surface in order to pick another one up, must maneuver two pieces or fasteners with one hand, or use two hands to perform the operation.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tool piece holder has a first receptacle defined by a first longitudinal axis with a cavity formed therein. The first receptacle has a top portion, a bottom portion, a front side, and a rear side. A second receptacle, such as a tray, is disposed within the cavity of the first receptacle, here the second receptacle is defined by, and configured to reciprocate along, the first longitudinal axis. The second receptacle has a first side and a second side, which is opposite from the first side, where first and/or second sides are configured to retain a plurality of tool pieces. A panel is pivotally coupled with the first receptacle and has a magnet element forming part thereof.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the tool piece holder has a first receptacle defined by a longitudinal axis and has a cavity defined therein. The first receptacle has a top portion, a bottom portion, a front side, and a rear side. A tray is slidingly disposed within the cavity and is capable of reciprocating along the longitudinal axis of the first receptacle. The tray comprises a first side and a second side, opposite from the first side, where at least one of the first and second sides are configured to retain a plurality of tool pieces. A panel is pivotally coupled with the bottom portion of the first receptacle and is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the panel. The panel further comprises a first face and a second face, opposite from the first face, where at least one of the first and/or second faces is magnetic.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of storing a tool piece includes placing the first tool piece on a panel, actuating tray of a bit holder from a closed position to an open position, retrieving a second tool piece from the tray, placing the second tool piece on the panel, removing the first tool piece from the panel, inserting the first tool piece within the tray, and actuating the tray of the bit holder from the open position to the closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the tool piece holder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the tool piece holder.

FIG. 3 is a yet another perspective view of one aspect of the tool piece holder.

FIG. 4 is a yet another perspective view of one aspect of the tool piece holder, with the tray extending therefrom and the panel being positioned away from the holder.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tool piece holder shown in FIG. 1, with the tray extending therefrom and the panel being positioned away from the holder.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the tool piece holder which shows the inside contents of the cavity of the holder via phantom lines as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the tool piece holder which shows the inside contents of the cavity of the holder via phantom lines as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The invention is described with reference to the drawings in which like elements are referred to by like numerals. The relationship and function of the various elements of this invention are better understood by the following description. Each aspect so defined may be combined with any other aspect or aspects unless clearly indicated to the contrary. The embodiments described below are by way of example only, and the invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

Turning now to the drawings and referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a receptacle or holder 10 is shown having a top portion 12, a bottom portion 14, a front portion 16, and a rear portion 18 and is defined by a longitudinal axis A. The holder 10 shown in FIG. 1 is rectangular in shape, but also can be, for example, square-shaped, triangular-shaped, or oval shaped. At least a portion of the holder 10 is hollow and forms a cavity 20 therein which can accommodate a slidable tray 34. A clip 40, such as a belt clip, is coupled with the holder 10 to allow for the holder 10 to be secured to other fixtures, such as a belt.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front portion 16 consists of an interior portion 17 and panel portion 22 which is configured to pivot about the bottom portion 14 of the holder 10 from a closed position, as shown in FIG. 1, to an open position, as shown in FIG. 3. The panel portion 22 comprises a bottom side 24 and a top side 26 and is defined by a longitudinal axis B when in a non-closed position. It is contemplated that the panel portion 22 may open further than what is depicted in FIG. 3, such that the longitudinal axis B is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the holder 10.

The panel portion 22 may have the same dimensions of the interior portion 17 and therefore have the same general shape of the holder 10. Alternatively, the panel portion 22 may be smaller than the interior portion 17 of the holder 10. The panel portion 22 may be located the other sides of the holder 10, forming part of the rear portion 18, for example. Alternatively, the holder 10 may consist of more than one, independently openable, panel portion 22 coupled thereto.

The bottom and top sides 24, 26 of the panel portion 22 may be at least partially formed of magnetic material sufficient to retain tool pieces or fasteners. Preferably, the magnetic material is located in a central area of the bottom side 24 of the panel 22. The panel portion 22 is pivotally coupled to the bottom portion 14 of the holder 10 by a pin 28 disposed through the panel portion 22 and a connector 32, and is shown in the closed position in FIG. 1. The panel portion 22 may be pivoted to an infinite number of orientations, one such example being illustrated in FIG. 5. It can be appreciated that the panel is in an open or partially open position when it is not in the closed position. The connector 32 may form part of the bottom portion 14 of the holder 10. The panel portion 22 may be coupled through other types of fastening methods such as a hinge, and may be coupled to other portions of the holder 10. The coupling between the panel portion 22 and the connector 32 also allows the panel portion to rotate 360° about the longitudinal axis B. Accordingly, either the front side 24 or rear side 26 may be faced away from the interior panel 17. Of course, the degree of rotation may vary depending on the type of connector 32 used.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, a second receptacle, shown as a tray 34, is slidingly disposed within the cavity 20 formed within the holder 10. The tray 34 may be configured to run in a track within the cavity 20 formed within the holder 10. FIG. 1 depicts the tray 34 in a closed position. The tray 34 has a front side 36, a rear side 38, and a top side 40, and is defined by, and configured to reciprocate along, the longitudinal axis A, to an open position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Alternatively, the tray 34 may be configured to open and reciprocate in a direction non-parallel to the longitudinal axis A, such as in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A.

The top side 40 of the tray 34 forms part of the top portion 12 of the holder 10 and may be configured to lock with the top portion 12 through a detent or a latch 42. In addition, the sliding mechanism of the tray 34 may be spring biased, thereby allowing a user to simply push inward on the tray 34 to unlock the tray 34 from the latch 42. As discussed above, the tray 34 may be configured to travel in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A, and in such a configuration, the tray 34 may extend from a side of the holder 10, instead of the top portion 12.

The front side 36 and the rear side 38 of the tray 34 may have clips or other retaining structures 44 to secure tool pieces 37 to the tray 34, as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sides 36, 38 may also be magnetic to retain the tool pieces 37 in place. FIG. 6 illustrates the rear view of the tool holder 10, to illustrate that the rear side 38 of the tray 34 may hold a variety of tool pieces 37. FIGS. 6 and 7 show, in phantom, tool bits or pieces 37 located in the cavity 20 that are magnetically held to the tray 34. The tray 34, alternatively, may take the shape of a container, such as a drawer, for retaining various fasteners and tool pieces 37 en masse.

The holder 10 may be made out of a variety of materials, such as plastic, metal, or a composite. In addition, portions of the holder 10 may be transparent to permit the user to determine the types of tool pieces 37 and/or the quantity of fasteners contained within the holder 10 at any given time.

The holder 10 may contain a plurality of tool pieces 37 and fasteners and when the user elects to exchange a tool piece 37 for another one, or a fastener, the user is able to pivot the panel portion 22 away from the longitudinal axis A of the tool holder 10, so that the longitudinal axis A is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis B of the panel portion 22, as illustrated by FIG. 3. Next, the user may place the tool piece 37 or the fastener on the panel portion 22 of the holder 10 while the user is retrieving another tool piece or fastener from the tray 34. The user may then remove the tool piece 37 or fastener from the panel portion 22 and place it in the tray 34, or may leave the tool piece 37 or fastener on the panel portion 22.

The panel portion 22 may also be rotated about its longitudinal axis B to allow the user to adjust the panel portion 22 to multiple positions. The user may also place a number of items on the bottom side 24 or top side 26 of the panel portion 22 if the user plans to utilize multiple fasteners or tool pieces for a desired task. In addition, the user may rotate the panel portion 22 towards the longitudinal axis A, so that the longitudinal axis B is parallel with longitudinal axis A, and place fasteners or tool pieces on the bottom side 24 of the panel portion 22 for direct access. It can be appreciated that an infinite number of orientations may be contemplated with respect to the panel portion 22.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and do not limit the scope of the invention in any manner. It can be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be used with any embodiment. The illustrative embodiments are not exclusive of each other or of other embodiments not recited herein. Accordingly, the invention also provides embodiments that comprise combinations of one or more of the illustrative embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the invention as herein set forth can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims. 

1. A tool piece holder comprising: a first receptacle defined by a first longitudinal axis having a cavity formed therein, the first receptacle having a top portion, a bottom portion, a front side, and a rear side; a second receptacle disposed within the cavity of the first receptacle, where the second receptacle is defined by, and is configured to reciprocate along, the first longitudinal axis, where the second receptacle has a first side and a second side opposite from the first side, where at least one of the first and second sides are configured to retain a plurality of tool pieces; a panel pivotally coupled with the first receptacle; and a magnetic element forming part of the panel.
 2. The tool piece holder of claim 1 wherein the second receptacle is a tray and is configured to extend from the top portion of the first receptacle.
 3. The tool piece holder of claim 2 wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the tray further comprises protrusions to retain a tool piece.
 4. The tool piece holder of claim 2 wherein the at least one of the first side and the second side of the second receptacle has a magnetic portion.
 5. The tool piece holder of claim 4 wherein at least one of the first side and the second side of the tray further comprises protrusions to retain a tool piece.
 6. The tool piece holder of claim 1 wherein the panel is defined by a second longitudinal axis, where the panel is coupled to the bottom portion and is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position, and anywhere therebetween.
 7. The tool piece holder of claim 6 wherein when in the first position, the second longitudinal axis of the panel is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the first receptacle, and when in the second position, the second longitudinal axis of the panel is substantially non-parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the first receptacle.
 8. The tool piece holder of claim 7 where the panel has a first face and a second face wherein at least one of the first and second faces has a magnetic portion.
 9. The tool piece holder of claim 8 wherein the panel is capable of being rotated 360 degrees about its longitudinal axis.
 10. The tool piece holder of claim 9 wherein the both the first face and the second face of the pane are capable of being adjacent to the front side of the first receptacle.
 11. A tool piece holder comprising: a first receptacle defined by a longitudinal axis having a cavity defined therein, the first receptacle having a top portion, a bottom portion, a front side, and a rear side; a tray slidingly disposed within the cavity and capable of reciprocating along the longitudinal axis of the first receptacle, where the tray further comprises: a first side; and a second side opposite to the first side, where at least one of the first and second sides are configured to retain a plurality of tool pieces; and a panel pivotally coupled with the bottom portion of the first receptacle, and rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the panel, wherein the panel further comprises: a first face; and a second face opposite from the first face, wherein at least one of the first face and the second face is magnetic.
 12. The tool piece holder of claim 11 where the at least one of the first and second sides of the tray includes at least one of a plurality of tool piece holders or a magnetic portion.
 13. The tool piece holder of claim 11 wherein the panel is configured to pivot between a first position, where the longitudinal axis of the panel is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first receptacle, and a second position where the longitudinal axis of the panel is substantially parallel or non-parallel with the longitudinal axis of the first receptacle.
 14. The tool piece holder of claim 13 wherein the panel is configured to partially rotate about its longitudinal axis.
 15. The tool piece holder of claim 14 wherein the first face and the second face of the panel are capable to being adjacent to the first side of the first receptacle.
 16. A method of storing a tool piece comprising: providing a bit holder having a panel; placing the first tool piece on a panel; actuating a tray of the bit holder from a closed position to an open position; retrieving a second tool piece from the tray; removing the first tool piece from the panel; inserting the first tool piece within the tray; and actuating the tray of the bit holder from the open position to the closed position.
 17. The method of storing the tool piece of claim 16 wherein actuating the tray of the bit holder from the closed position to the open position further comprises pushing on a portion of the tray to unlock the tray from the closed position.
 18. The method of storing the tool piece of claim 16 further comprising pivoting the panel from a closed position to an open position.
 19. The method of storing the tool piece of claim 18 further comprising placing the second tool piece on the panel.
 20. The method of storing the tool piece of claim 18 further comprising pivoting the panel from the open position to the closed position. 